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Lesions found on Susquehanna River smallmouth bass

(York) -- The state Fish and Boat Commission says there's a serious problem with disease being found in smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River.

The Department of Environmental Protection doesn't' know what's causing the disease and that hatchlings are dying off in significant numbers. Officials say a culprit hasn't been found.

John Arway is the director of the Fish and Boat Commission. He wants the Susquehanna listed as impaired; once that happens, he says it could take several years to remedy and allow fishing.

But DEP spokesman Kevin Sunday says the department needs to gather more data to figure out what's causing the disease that's killing the fish. He says people are finding sick fish that have lesions on their bodies.